“The Nutrition Reform and Work Opportunity Act closes loopholes in our nutrition assistance programs and prevents abuse so that we can focus on helping the families most in need,” Neugebauer said in a news release.

H.R. 3102 includes some of the reforms Neugebauer proposed in H.R. 1510, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Improvement Act.

The bill passed Thursday is projected to save taxpayers $40 billion during ten years through a series of targeted reforms, according to the statement.

“The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program provides critical assistance to families that have hit hard times,” Neugebauer said. “But it was never meant to support one in every seven Americans.These reforms won’t affect anyone who legitimately qualifies for assistance. They will simply allow us to better target our assistance to eligible families.”

Neugebauer said H.R. 3102 is a “critical step forward” in passing farm policy.

“My priority is passing a Farm Bill that gives our farmers and ranchers the certainty they need to help feed and clothe America,” he said in the statement. “This bill moves us towards that goal, and I’m looking forward to making progress on farm policy in the coming weeks.”

Conaway, who spoke for the measure on the House floor, released a statement praising the vote.

“Today we have an opportunity to modernize the nutrition program, to close loopholes, and to most importantly keep the safety net intact for qualified American families who depend on this assistance every day,” he said.

The bill’s savings would be achieved by allowing states to put broad new work requirements in place for many food stamp recipients and to test applicants for drugs, according to the Associated Press.

The bill also would end government waivers that have allowed able-bodied adults without dependents to receive food stamps indefinitely.

House conservatives, led by Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., have said the almost $80 billion-a-year program has become bloated.

More than 47 million Americans are now on food stamps, and the program’s cost more than doubled in the last five years as the economy struggled through the Great Recession.

Democrats said the rise in the rolls during tough economic times showed the program was doing its job.

Finding a compromise — and the votes — to scale back the feeding program has been difficult.

The conservatives have insisted on larger cuts, Democrats opposed any cuts and some moderate Republicans from areas with high food stamp usage have been wary of efforts to slim the program.

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"Satire is a sort of glass, wherein beholders do generally discover everybody's face but their own." Jonathan Swift "I don't care to belong to a club that accepts people like me as members." Groucho Marx

Jesus would be proud of you for cutting funding to the kind of folks he supported, while leaving lots of tax breaks and government funding for corporations and the wealthy, who now have a greater share of the wealth and income than ever before.

We're working toward a country of aristocracy and serfs, and our elected officials are all for it. Hel, they are part of it.

A poor turnip bleeds a lot less than an engorged pig, but the GOTP seems set on making those least able to afford it, pay to engorge the pigs some more.

The food stamp program has increased 52% since Obama took office, and he removed the work requirement as a condition to receive stamps as well as lowering other requirements. All the reductions would do is get rid of the deadbeats who are living off taxpayers and who have no intention of ever getting a job. Those are not the people Jesus would have supported, but the liberals do because they can still vote.

"Satire is a sort of glass, wherein beholders do generally discover everybody's face but their own." Jonathan Swift "I don't care to belong to a club that accepts people like me as members." Groucho Marx

"Satire is a sort of glass, wherein beholders do generally discover everybody's face but their own." Jonathan Swift "I don't care to belong to a club that accepts people like me as members." Groucho Marx

"Texas weathered the 2008 recession better than most states, but the state’s median income remains below 2000 levels, and the poverty and uninsured rates remain high, according to U.S. Census Bureau data released Thursday.

The state was one of only two where the poverty rate declined, dropping to 17.9 percent in 2012 from 18.5 percent in 2011, the highest rate recorded since 2000. Minnesota’s rate also declined.

The bureau’s annual American Community Survey found that in 2012 about 4.5 million Texans lived in poverty, defined as an annual income of less than $18,480 a year for a family of three. Nationally, the percentage of people living in poverty stands at 15.9 percent. In 2000, Texas’ poverty rate was 15.1 percent."

But we're still pumping billions into programs which benefit corporations in exchange for jobs that never reach the projected numbers under the GOTP/Corporate pork policy exchanges.

"Satire is a sort of glass, wherein beholders do generally discover everybody's face but their own." Jonathan Swift "I don't care to belong to a club that accepts people like me as members." Groucho Marx

done to US under Bush stopped when Obama took office and continued Bush economic bailout policies.

There is no Reset button in politics or in life. Bush and the GOTP legislature deregulated the financial/mortgage conglomerates, and what happened happened.

Could Obama have done better at correcting Bush's mistakes? Yes. Has the GOTP/ERR done everything possible to keep Obama from being more successful at correcting the consequences of their boy's mistakes? Yes.

40 or 41 votes to repeal ACA, and how many jobs bills?

Increases in private jobs have been balanced out by losses in government jobs due to funding cut backs pushed through by the GOTP. And then they put all of the blame on Obama.

I think that they see themselves in the mirror, and think it is Obama looking back at them.

No question that farm subsidies are corporate welfare in the extreme, and should be eliminated or drastically reduced and are as big a rip off as public pensions. However, just because one program is ripping off taxpayers doesn't justify not fixing another. Besides, you can't blame Republicans entirely, the Democrat controlled Senate refuses to consider any reduction in entitlements and is committed to expanding them even further. Gotta have those votes to stay in power.

Speaking from personal observations, the gov't is out of control without any accountability. I have no problem with helping to feed the truly needy. When I roll up at Walmart checkout with a few cans of canned chicken, a pack of sliced turkey, a loaf of bread and some canned veggies and see a young, able bodied couple with 3 grocery baskets overflowing and observe a Lone Star card get swiped it makes me furious. Granted, I have no knowledge of their circumstances but if I can bust my hump to pay my own way it appears they can too. Meanwhile, I have some acquaintences who are desperate and have applied for food assistance but either don't have enough kids or are the wrong color and were denied. I buy them groceries out of my own pocket because I care about them and the government failed them but I see gov't just give away everything to those who meet some arbitrary criteria. It's a value thing with me, if you are able and you don't earn, you don't eat.
On the flip side, this whole food stamp thing has unintended consequences too. You see, it keeps a floor under food prices and keeps demand up by artificially pumping up demand, such as the 3 basket crew I mentioned above. So while we do have farms subsidized, that too keeps the baskets full by keeping the prices lower and the Lone Star card benefits keep the masses passified.
So knock out the farm bill and watch the prices go sky high, then the Lone Star card won't buy as much and people get angry and riot.
Myself, I saw all this gov't abuse and froth of this program awhile back and bought as much agricultural and chemical stocks as I could afford and I've made a small fortune, tax deferred too so I don't have to pay my profits back into this abused system!
The next unitended consequence is the rapidly increasing national debt as a result of these policies and the value of the dollar is dropping. That will keep oil prices high and tractors run on diesel. I see more opportunities to make more money so Go Obama Go!!!!
I don't live off the gov't, put my own capital at risk and pay my own way. That's kinda the way it used to be. Times have changed.

You are being offensively dishonest in stereotyping food stamp recipients......at least have the courage to be honest. 98% of food stamp recipients are children, the elderly, the disabled, and those already working.

This is one of the most egregious and corrupt voting blocks in Congress. These folks and their corporate welfare recipients mooch off the government at a time when corporate profits are at an all time high. It is worth noting that these politicians are harming their own constituents because rural and urban food stamp usage is now equal.

Maybe the dead beat house republicans can stop having a tantrum and pass a jobs and infrastructure bill to counter the lingering effects of the Bush disaster.

Lubbock AJ Moderator, I am well within the user agreement when I attempt to have a conversation in which I provide facts. Just because someone flags my comment because they don't like honesty and facts provided in a civil manner is no reason to pull the comment down. Feel free to contact me.

Pay no attention to those who criticize you for seeing an opportunity and making some money. They’re just jealous and don’t like people who work hard and think smart. You go right ahead and make all you can, support those truly in need and ignore the Libs. Your actions speak way louder than their bluster.

You can call BS all you want. About 25 years ago I decided I didn't want to live hand to mouth struggling through life. I hung out at Waldenbooks buying every personal finance book and how to's on how the wealthy got that way. I read about the perspective of Obama's great prophet Warren Buffett. He's always said, live well beneath your means and invest the rest, hold on for the long term. I've lived like a pauper and found that I can live frugally and plow all of my excess income into tax deferred accounts. Delaying gratification is hard at first but once comfortable with it becomes a way of life. That's part of the problem with society today, it's all instant gratification without the benefit of personal responsibility. I made my choices, they have been hard but I'm comfortable knowing I'll be retiring at 50 and never have to work again unless I choose to do so. Haven't you read about the teachers worth a million dollars because they lived frugally and saved? There is so much out there that can be yours if you just work hard, delay gratification and make wise choices. We don't teach personal financial management and the country is weaker for it. Time is the great equilizer in the development of wealth. Einstein said compound interest is the 8th wonder of the world, he who understands it earns it, he who doesn't pays it.........

Self sufficient? Oh like the corporate farmers who receive subsidies. Or other folks here online who at a difficult time in there lives were not self sufficient and have admittedly had the help of welfare?

How many times do I have to tell you, I'm not on welfare anymore. Nor would I get back on it. I'd rather starve or be homeless. There was absolutely NO incentive in the welfare program for me to get off or improve myself. You know my story. My church family helped me. Please try to remember it next time you indirectly reference me.

I never said you were still on welfare. By the way, there are work requirements for welfare. And Bert, stop with the sanctimonious baloney. If you want to bow your head and talk to yourself for a while, knock yourself out.

I am all about self improvement, but it is a falsehood to state that welfare or food stamps prevent that from happening.

somebody to "just go to work" doesn't solve that person's problem. Take a woman with young children whose husband had run off with his girlfriend, is working under the table and not supporting his kids. Say she graduated from high school but never got to college and has stayed home with the kids. There are very few jobs available that will pay enough to cover housing, day care, food, car, gasoline, clothing, and utilities. She might get child support and she might not; that's not dependable. If she works more than one job, her kids will never see her and she will be labeled a bad mother. Children can't work, nor should they be forced to choose between work and school. The elderly usually can't get hired. Those with mental illness usually can't keep a job. Those who are physically disabled usually can't keep a job at the pace required by most employers. It's one thing to fix a system, which takes creativity and work(good luck with Congress on that one). It's another to destroy lives that depend on the system. Who's lazy now?

"On March 13, the House voted to restore the work requirements that the Obama Administration attempted to gut from the 1996 welfare reform law. The Preserving Work Requirements for Welfare Programs Act of 2013 was introduced in late February by a group of conservatives to undo the Administration’s actions."

Obviously, the Obama Administration wanted it eliminated. I never read whether it passed the Senate or whether or not the President signed it. Need a little help here. Maybe you or someone knows the answer?

"stop with the sanctimonious baloney" Wow! Okay, I won't bother you with it again. Is it okay to say, "Enjoy your weekend"?

Obama wanted to loosen work requirements and allow the states to determine that on their own. He never attempted to abolish work requirements as you seem to suggest. He simply gave more power to the states in determining their own requirement during the Bush Recession.